BOLSTER: Strengthening Care for Advanced Cancer Patients and Their Caregivers
Official title: BOLSTER: Strengthening Patient and Caregiver Supports in Advanced Cancer - a Multi-Site Randomized Controlled Trial
Funded at Dana-Farber Cancer Inst · NIH-11389158 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A multi-site trial tests a bundled, patient- and caregiver-centered palliative care program to improve quality of life and reduce hospital visits for people with advanced solid tumors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dana-Farber Cancer Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $669,032 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA270040-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11389158 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with advanced solid tumors (GI/GYN/breast/lung cancers) experiencing complex care needs and caregiver involvement.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with contraindications to palliative care or those not experiencing high symptom burden may see limited benefit.
What this research studies
This project tests BOLSTER, a multi-component palliative care program for patients with advanced cancers such as breast, GI, gynecologic, and lung cancers. The program pairs a nurse with the patient and family caregiver for ongoing telehealth support, uses a mobile health platform to track symptoms, and provides tailored symptom management and caregiver training. The goal is to ease difficult symptoms, prevent unnecessary hospitalizations, and help families manage complex care at home. The study builds on prior pilot work and will implement the program across multiple sites with careful monitoring of outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients may experience better symptom control, higher quality of life, and fewer hospital visits, easing the burden on caregivers.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary pilot data showed the program is feasible and acceptable, supporting a next-step randomized trial.
Where this research is happening
-
Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wright, Alexi a — Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
- Study coordinator: Wright, Alexi a
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.